Boogie Song "Caledonia"

Some kids just make you feel inadequate. His name is Frank Sugar Chile Robinson Another video of him here and when he is older.

Aftermath

Social media that likely played a part in encouraging the rioters,  is showing them it is a double edge sword. The public is now using Facebook and blogs to out the rioters. You can bet there is some frantic erasing of Facebook pages going on, however that which is posted is never really gone and will come back to haunt them. Already people have lost their jobs and another has lost sponsorship. I could blame it all on a generation which grew up with an expectation of entitlement and lack of consequence, but to be fair there has been riots in our city's past and will likely be more in the future.

What I do like is that people are taking it onto themselves to help correct the wrongs. First was the people who stood up for what's right during the riot, this takes a lot of guts and likely was a spur of the moment thing. But says a lot about their character and understanding what is right and wrong.
The second group are the people who came out the next day to help clean up  the mess and help the businesses. It speaks well of their sense of citizenship.

The third group has a finer line to walk. they are busy outing those responsible. This requires a sense of justice and sense of responsibility not to tar those they can't be sure where responsible. One such sight is this.

I can't not abide or support those who harass the families of those involved. Yes some of the parents failed, but others had done their best to raise their kids and it was the young adults that made the choices they must live with. focus your anger on those who caused the mayhem, but always temper it. It's likely that few will be successfully charged in regards to the riots, but the burden of proof in a civil court is much less and far more likely to be successful.

Behind the scenes the knives are out, seem blogger alexgtsakumis.com is taking aim at the leadership of Vancouver for bungling the riot. Also reports that their budget had been reduced will not help. I am not sure if the Olympic parties had lulled City Hall into a false belief that all would be fine, despite warnings of what was likely to come. The political nastiness is far from over and these decisions will come back to haunt the current administration at the next election.

Excellent Tango

Some excellent work there, the toe lift is well done.

Time to turn the Page

It would seem that students from the University of Ottawa are incapable of grasping the ethics involved in being part of the government system that supports Parliament. The current system is quite unfair and excludes anyone who is not a university student.

I suggest that we open the job up to disabled Vets, I have no doubt they will value the ethics of a democracy far more than a wet behind the ears student. Also the constant reminder to the politicians in the house of the price average citizens pay for government decisions would cause then to reflect carefully on their choices.

Seems even Jack Layton did not approve of the stunt either.

Ban the Hammer!!!

More awesome stupidity from down under. During the trial of some bad guys who killed someone with a hammer, the judge suggested that the government look at laws regarding the carrying of hammers. In other words restricting the times you can carry them and who can carry them. now my knowledge of Australian law is not strong, but I suspect heavily that it is very similar to our. In which case the use and intent to use the hammer (or any object) makes it a weapon.

No doubt the next step is to set up a hammer registry, police will stop and question anyone seen carrying a hammer. Soon carpenters will be reluctant to advertise in public in case the police raid them. hardware shops will be required to keep the hammers under lock and key. Only people demonstrating a "need" will be allowed to buy a hammer. Since none of this will actually solve the violence issue, the next step is create classes of hammers, some hammers would be prohibited in particular sledge hammers with long handles, who really needs one of these anyways?

Worker going to a site would be required to keep their hammers stored in hard to break in locked cases. They would only be allowed to take them out of the case at an approved worksite. Meanwhile kids drawing hammers at school or pretending to use them will be chastised or expelled. Thieves would realize that hammers have value and status. they would smuggle in hammers and carry them in their waistbands.

On the bright side, there will be a whole lot less wannabe weekend carpenters walking around with sore thumbs!

The death Rae

The Liberals (or the mortal remains) are still not quite dead, but we have hope! They have appointed Bob Rae to lead them out (more likely further in) of the darkness. Bob Rae had been the Premier of Ontario where his legacy is that of "Rae days" The hatred I hear many Ontarions voices when they speak of those times is still quite strong and vibrant, from both left and right.
On top of his baggage he also was a hardcore NDP type and one has to wonder if he is a agent of the Laytonites with a mission to destroy the Liberals in order that there will be no threat from other left wing parties to challenge the new postion of the NDP as the "Loyal opposition". Sounds tinfoilish but Socialists for all their fault are good at taking the long view on achieving their objectives.

Here is my suggestion to the Young Liberals on how to save your party. Invite all of the old guard to a convention, once they are inside throw all of their policy documents inside, bolt the doors and burn the place down. About the only one I would keep around to provide wise counsel is Bill Graham. Only then can you actually stand a chance at building a party that's not contaminated with the "natural governing party of Canada" crap. Plus throw out stupid policies like the gun registry and banning guns, stuff like that is a millstone around your necks. You have about 10 years to get the job done, study everything about the early days of the Reform Party learn from them, build your base around real issues that people will support thick and thin. I also suggest you change the name a bit to something like the "New Liberals"

the faithful gather

"The Chalice"

Update, well that was a nail biter, I suspect this series will be about which team makes the first mistake rather than which is better. I will predict that the playoffs goes the full 7 games.

 The faithful gather tonite, to cheer their disciples along, the most devoted (and rich) trundle to the temple, while the lesser ones huddle around their TV's or big screens in the pubs. To be fair the Canucks have rewarded their faithful with some good games and now are neck and neck with the Boston Bruins to decide the fate of the Stanly cup. I dare not predict what happens, but the Canucks fans are out in force today wearing many generations of Canuck Jerseys. As I left downtown today the crowds and excitement were building. I hope they win if not for the sake of the Canucks, but for the sake of the fans who having been devoted through thick and thin. Bit more on the game times here. 

The Bruins do have a sense of humour judging by their ads.

Obama, back to the 60's

What Israel looked like just before the 1967war

Maybe Obama does not remember the 60's, maybe all he remembers is Woodstock or the the girls with flowers in their hair. The Israelis have different memories of that time, war on their doorstep, threats to destroy them. in 1967 the Israelis pulled off one the most impressive feats of arms since the end of WWII, destroying 3 armies all poised to attack them. In turn making their tiny country more secure and winning the long sought prize of Jerusalem.

One factor that totally escapes Obama, is that even in 1966 there was no "Palestinian State", Gaza belonged to Egypt and the West bank to Jordon, in fact there has been no "Palestinian state" for centuries, prior to 1948, it was a mandate that UK took over from the Ottomans, who treated the area as part of a province of their empire.
The reality is that the Palestinians have enough to start a real state, Gaza strip is 364 sqKm and combined with West Bank land it compares well with Singapore. Also like Singapore, the only real resource that both countries have are their people. Singapore invested in it's people and the results are well known. The Palestinians instead invested in homemade rockets and suicide vests, the result are rather predictable. Their current plan to gain statehood by attacking Israel have achieved none of their aims and helped their economy to hit rock bottom and still digging.
So far all the "Great one" has achieved is to get both Israel and Hamas to agree his idea sucks, albeit for different reasons. No peace will be achieved till the Palestinians realize that the state of Israel is not going anywhere and the "Right of return" is a myth that will not happen. To people so morally opposed can not live in the same house and that is the simple truth here. The longer we enable the Palestinians to live this lie, the longer they will suffer. Fairly soon the number of people who actually did leave in 1948 will be a handful, every decade it will be less, till no one from that episode is alive from either side. Shall we allow the Palestinians descendants to carry living the lie and paying it's price?

If you need any help understanding why the Israelis don't want to give up land, take a look at this map. The 1967 borders were undefendable with no space to recover from a tactical error. In the 1973 war, the Syrians came within a hairbreath of breaking through the IDF lines in the Golan, only luck and a timid response from the Syrian saved them.

Note, can't remember the blog I got the maps from, but will credit them as soon as I find the link.

Shotgun Boogie

Could you imagine the present day media allowing a song like this? In their view guns are bad, therefore such light entertainment on such a subject is verboten!!

I like the part about asking the girls father for her hand in marriage. More on the singer; Tennessee Ernie Ford

How I wish it was true

Some reports are floating around that Mullah Omar is dead, as I mentioned in my post "No Remorse" I would like to see him dead, mainly as I think it will open the door to more negotiations and hopefully a political end to the fighting in Afghanistan. Mullah Omar and his senior advisers are the reason why any negotiations have not moved ahead, he knows the current government will never relent to his demands or negotiate with him, so why allow others to do so. I have no doubt that many of the Taliban foot soldiers and their low level commanders would like to settle on some agreement that would allow them enough face to put away their weapons, but they dare not express those views or take part lest the senior leadership gets wind of it.
An alternative possibility is that Omar was being moved in secret so he would not suffer from any backlash caused by the recent attack on the naval base. The attack will not help relations between the Pakistani military and the Taliban. after OBL getting whacked, you can bet senior leaders in the Taliban are nervous about who they can trust.
I like the fact that the Taliban are nervous, sowing mistrust in your enemy ranks is a good thing and another benefit of the attack on OBL.